Linux : python : clear input buffer before raw_input()

Question

I have looked at a few thread about this, but it doesn't seem to solve my problem. I am running linux and when I use raw_input(), with a pause between each, it will take the data that I have pressed before, here is an example :

 import time
 a = raw_input("first input")
 b = raw_input("second input")
 time.sleep(5)
 #flush junk?
 a = raw_input("third input")
 b = raw_input("fourth input")

if I press any keys followed by the enter during the 5 seconds, the two other raw input will take the input. I would like to be able to flush the data and let the user be prompted.

thank you.

Totem · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-24 21:47:41Z

12

For unix you can use termios.tcflush

from termios import tcflush, TCIFLUSH
import time,sys

a = raw_input("first input ")
b = raw_input("second input ")

time.sleep(5)
tcflush(sys.stdin, TCIFLUSH)

a = raw_input("third input ")
b = raw_input("fourth input ")

~$ python foo.py 
first input 1
second input 2
33
33
third input 3
fourth input 4

termios.tcflush(fd, queue)

Discard queued data on file descriptor fd. The queue selector specifies which queue: TCIFLUSH for the input queue, TCOFLUSH for the output queue, or TCIOFLUSH for both queues.

edited Oct 24, 2014 at 21:47

Totem

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answered Oct 24, 2014 at 20:15

Padraic Cunningham

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1 Comment

Pepv Over a year ago

I had a similar problem using the keyboard library and I've been struggling so much to find a solution. This still works 8 years later with Python 3.9, thank you!

Shabir A. · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-24 19:46:19Z

3

Use keypress getch class of tty (linux) and msvcrt (windows) and use sys.stdout.flush() function to flush the buffer

answered Oct 24, 2014 at 19:46

Shabir A.

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2 Comments

Totem Over a year ago

tty doesn't appear to have this class on python2.7. I'm on ubuntu 14.04

Shabir A. Over a year ago

for tty it is termios class.

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